Bracing device for suit-cases.



L.' SPIRO.

BRAGING DEVICE POR SUIT GASES.

APPLICATION FILED DEG. 8, 1911.

1,019,547, Patented Mau.` 5, 1912.

Alllll ATTORNEYS COLUMBIA PLANOURAPH co.,wASHxNGrcN,D. c.

LOUIS SPIRO, 0F CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA.

BRACING DEVICE FOR SUIT-CASES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 5, 1912.

Application filed December 8, 1911. Serial No. 664,526.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Louis Srnao, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Clarksburg, in the county of Harrison and State of vWest Virginia, have made certain new and useful Improvements in Bracing Devices for Suit-Cases, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to devices for brac ing suit cases and for preventing the spill-y ing of their contents, and it consists in the combinations, constructions and arrangements herein described and claimed.

The device which forms the subject of this invention is an improvement over a similar device disclosed in my prior Patent #1,001,563 of August 22, 1911. In said pat-- ent the main brace was hinged to a plate which was fastened on the inner side of the suit case, and which registers with a spring lock on the outer side.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improvement in which the brace is not hinged, but may be slipped into and out of a latch plate which is provided with openings to receive lugs on the brace proper. This arrangement provides an eiiicient brac ing device, but it also permits the removal of the brace entirely from the suit Case, thereby being an improvement over the construction disclosed in said prior patent.

A further object of my invention is to provide an improved form of brace which can be manufactured more cheaply than the one disclosed in said patent, but which is as strong and durable as the older form.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the specification, and the novel features of the device will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings forming part of this application in which similar reference characters indicate like parts in the several views, and in which- Figure 1 is a sectional view through the suit case along the line 1--1 of Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows, Fig. 2 is a section through the suit case and through the bracing device at right angles to Fig. 1, Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the end of the brace member and of the latch plate, Fig. 4 is a view of a modified form of brace member, and Fig. 5 is a section along the line 5 5 of Fig. 4.

In carrying out my invention I make use of an ordinary suit case such as that shown at A. On the inside of the case I secure a metal plate B, which registers with and constitutes a backing for the spring lock C on the outer side of the suit case. Secured to the plate B and constituting in fact an integral part thereof is a U-shaped latch plate D, which is provided with slots l and d for a purpose hereinafter explained.

The brace member proper, E has a laterally extending portion cx at one end, this portion being provided with the stamped lugs e and c which are arranged to enter the openings cl and ci of the latch plate D. The brace member E has a portion cy stamped out at the junction of the main body portion with the lateral portion e", this stamped out portion being disposed diagonally between the body portion and its lateral extension e and being secured to the body portion by means of rivets cz or in any other suitable manner. The member ey forms a strong brace. The opposite end of the brace member E is also bent laterally as shown at ew and is provided with a lug cl. 0n the opposite side of the suit case from the latch plate D is a U-shaped latch member F having a lug f.

From the foregoing description of the various parts of the device the operation thereof may be readily understood.

In using the suit case, articles may be placed in the main body portion and then the main brace member E may be slipped into position, the extension eX at one end entering the U-shaped latch member D and the lugs c and c entering the recesses or slots ci and CZ respectively. In order to provide room for the extension ey the latch plate D is recessed at fly. The opposite end cw is now forced into the latch member F, the lug c on the brace member engaging the lug on the latch member F to prevent the lug from being displaced, as clearly shown in Fig. 2. Now when the cover K is closed the lock C may be pushed downwardly 'without any fear of breaking or injuring the suit case,since the device as described will form a brace which will prevent the pressure upon the lock from breaking the side of the case. This tends also to facilitate the action of the lock, since it provides a firm backing for the lock.

When the cover is released the articles within the suit case will not fall out, because the plates F and D hold the main brace member E with suiiicient tension to prevent the spilling of the contents of the suit case, while at the same time permitting the ready Withdrawal of the main brace member, so as to enable one to have ready access to the ccntents of the case. It will be noted that the side of the brace itself is suficiently resilient to permit the end ew of the brace member to be swung outwardly as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2 without removing the opposite end. This is convenient in slipping articles such as ties, handkerchiefs or other small articles Without the necessity of withdrawing the brace member entirely from its latch members.

In Figs. 4 and 5, I have shown a modified form of the device in which the main brace member consists of two parts E and E2, the former being provided with flanges ea and cb arranged to engage the body portion of the latch member E2. The latch member E2 is provided with a slot e@ which extends longitudinally as shown in Fig. 4. A bolt G eX- tends through the slot c and through the member E and is provided with a winged nut H. Otherwise the brace member is as described in connection with Figs. l, 2 and 3.

The arrangement disclosed in Figs. 4 and 5 permits the adjustment of the brace member to meet the requirements of suit cases of varying sizes.

I claim l. In a bracing device for suit cases having a spring lock, a plate secured to the inside o the suit case and registering with said lock, a latch plate having slots and being secured to said plate, a U-shaped brace member provided with lugs arranged to enter the slots in said U-shaped latch plate, and a second latch member secured on the inner side of said suit case and arranged to engage the opposite end of said brace member for holding said brace member in position.

2. In a bracing device for suit cases having a spring lock, a plate secured to the inside of the suit case and registering with said lock, a U-shaped latch plate having slots and being secured to said plate, a U- shaped brace member provided with lugs arranged to enter the slots in said U-shaped latch plate, a bracing strip at the bend of theU-shaped brace member contiguous to said lugs, and a second latch member secured on the inner side of said suit case and arranged to engage t-he opposite end of said brace member for holding said brace member in position. f

3. In a bracing device for suit cases having a spring lock, a plate secured to the inside of the suit case and registering with said lock, a U-shaped latch plate having slots on its central portion and a recess, a brace member having one end bent laterally and being provided on its lateral portion with lugsarranged to enter the slots in the U-shaped latch member, said brace member having a brace strip extending Jfrom said laterally extending portion to the main body portion of the brace, said bracing strip being arranged to enter the recess in said U- shaped latch plate, a U-shaped latch member secured to the inner portion of the suit case on that side opposite the lock, and means carried by said latch member for engaging and holding the opposite end of said brace member.

' f Louis sPIRo. Witnesses:

L. A. STANLEY, SoLoN C. KEMON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

